Container



Feb. 15. 1944. A. R. CONKLIN CONTAINER Filed June 13, 1942 IN V EN TOR. I @ffifl f 60/7%///7 Patented Feb. 15, 1944 CONTAINER Alfred It. Conklin, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Company, Kalamazoo,

Sutherland Paper Mich.

Application June 13, 1942, Serial No. 446,885

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in con tainers.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a container of the pail type adapted for use in retail merchandising of many items which, while strong and secure when erected, is formed without the use of metal.

Second, to provide a structure having these advantages which may be shipped or stored in the knockdown and quickly set up for use.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of the invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective'view of a container embodying my invention in its completely erected and closed form.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container partially erected illustrating structural details thereof and stepsin the erection.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the integral blank from which my improved container is formed.

My invention relates particularly to the type of pail containers which have been largely used in retail merchandising and commonly designated oyster pails, although used for many other purposes. Staples are commonly employed in such pails and also a wire bail or handle. In the container of my invention I eliminate entirely the use of staples and Wire handles, and at the same time provide a structure which may be quickly set up and when set up is strong and rigid.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises a bottom I having side walls 2, 2 and end walls 3, 3 hingedly connected thereto as by the score lines 4. The side and end walls are connected by corner members 5 scored diagonally at t for folding diagonally. These corner members are hingedly connected to the adjacent side and end walls by means of score lines or hinging lines 7. One pair of diagonally opposed corner members is provided at the tips or outer corners thereof with hooked tongue members 8 disposed to face oppositely when the blank is in the flat and on opposite sides of the diagonal folding line 6 so that when the corner members are in erected position the tongue members coact to provide upwardly facing tongues 9, see Figs. 1 and 2. The other pair of diagonally opposed corner members have slots Iii arranged on opposite sides of their diagonal fold lines 6 adapted to register when the corner members are in erected position providing slots H with which the tongues 9 may be engaged as shown in Fig. 1.

To facilitate the engagement of the tongues 9 with the slots H I provide the corner members with. transverse fleXing zones or lines 92 disposed perpendicularly to the diagonal fold zones or lines 9 and at the inner sides of the tongues or slots, or at least in such relation thereto as per-- mits the bending or flexing of the parts at the outer sides of the lines l2 to facilitate engagement thereof.

The end members are provided at their outer edges with overlapping closure flaps 13 which constitute the inner closure flaps of the container. These are joined to the end walls by the flexing or hinging lines i l. The side Walls are provided with coasting outer closure members I5 and is, the closure member i5 being provided with spaced slots I! while the member it has opposed tongues l8 engageable with the slots i"! when the closure member i6 is adjusted to closed position as shown in Fig. 1. A flexing zone iiiis preferably provided between the tongues iii to facilitatetheir engagement with the slots ll.

The cross members l5 and IE5 are provided at their outer ends with loop-like handle members 20 which are brought into upstanding side by side relation when the container is completely erected and the closure members in fully closed position. It will be understood that I use the terms side members and end members for convenience in description, and that they do not necessarily imply dimensions.

The container of my invention is economical in the matter of material, may be made of quite light stock, and at the same time is strong and rigid. I have illustrated myinvention in an embodiment which I have found highly practical, and it is believed this disclosure will enable the adaptation of the invention as may be desired for special purposes. However, the structure illustrated is intended and adapted for a wide variety of articles.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a bottom and side and end walls hingedly connected to the bottom, and diagonally foldable corner members hingedly connected to the side and end walls, one diagonally opposed pair of corner members having oppositely facing hooked tongue members on opposite sides of their diagonal folding line, which members lie side by side when the corner members are in erected position to provide upwardly facing hooked tongues, the other diagonally opposed pair of corner members having slots on opposite sides of their diagonal folding lines adapted to register when the corner members are in erected position to receive the said tongues, said corner members having transverse flexing zones in the form of hinge joints extending transversely of the diagonal folding line of the corner members and located at the inner sides of their said tongues and slots facilitating the engagement of the tongues with the slots.

2. A container comprising a bottom and side and end walls hingedly connected to the bottom, and diagonally foldable corner members hinged- 1y connected to the side and end walls, one diagonally opposed pair of corner members having oppositely facing hooked tongue members on opposite sides of their diagonal folding line, which members lie side by side when the corner members are in erected msition to provide upwardly facing hooked tongues, the other diagonally opposed pair of corner members having slots on opposite sides of their diagonal folding lines adapted to register when the corner members are in erected position to receive the said tongues, said corner members having transverse hinge-joints disposed substantially at right angles to the diagonal folding line of the corner members and also disposed inwardly of their said tongues and slots to facilitate engagement of the tongues with the slots.

3. A container formed of an integral blank and comprising a bottom and side and end walls hingedly connected to the bottom, and diagonally foldable corner members hingedly connected to the side and end walls, one diagonally opposed pair of corner members having oppositely facing hooked tongue members on opposite sides of their diagonal folding line, which members lie side by side when the corner members are in erected position to provide upwardly facing hooked tongues, the other diagonally opposed pair of corner members having slots on opposite sides of their diagonal folding lines adapted to register when the corner members are in erected position to receive the said tongues and overlapping closure flaps on the outer edges of said side members, one of which is provided with a pair of spaced slots and the other with oppositely disposed tongues engageable therewith when the closure members are in closed position, said closure members having handle members hingedly connected to their outer edges and positioned side by side for grasping when the outer cover members are engaged.

4. A container comprising a bottom and side and end walls hingedly connected to the bottom, and diagonally foldable corner members hingedly connected to the side and end walls, one diagonally opposed pair of corner members having tongues and the other diagonally opposed pair of corner members having slots with which said tongues are engaged, said corner members having transverse flexing zones in the form of hinge joints extending transversely of the diagonal folding line of the corner members and located at the inner sides of their said tongues and slots facilitating the engagement of the tongues with the slots.

5. A container formed of an integral blank and comprising a bottom and side and end walls hingedly connected to the bottom, and diagonally foldable corner members hingedly connected to the side and end walls, one diagonally opposed pair of corner members having tongues and the other diagonally opposed pair of corner members having slots with which said tongues are engaged, overlapping inner closure flap extensions on the end members, and overlapping closure flaps on said side members, one of which is provided with a pair of spaced slots and the other with oppositely disposed tongues engageable therewith when the closure members are in closed position, said outer closure members having coacting handle members at their outer edges.

6. A container formed of an integral blank and comprising a bottom and side and end walls hingedly connected to the bottom, and diagonally foldable corner members hingedly connected to the side and end walls, one diagonally opposed pair of corner members having tongues and the other diagonally opposed pair of corner members having slots with which said tongues are engaged, and overlapping closure flaps on said side members, one of which is provided with a pair of spaced slots and the other with oppositely disposed tongues engageable therewith when the closure members are in closed position, said outer closure members having coacting handle members at their outer edges.

ALFRED R. CONKLIN. 

